This disclosure relates to determining the presence of leaks in air ductwork, or simply ducts, and more particularly to a portable, self-contained apparatus therefor.
Air ducts carry conditioned air (one or more of heated, cooled, de-humidified, humidified, etc.) to locations, usually rooms, which require such conditioned air for comfort of people, proper operation of equipment, and the like. Such air ducts often are formed in multiple sections that are joined together for form a “continuous” duct transporting the conditioned air.
It is not unusual for the duct joints to lack sufficient integrity, resulting in leakage of air from the duct. Occasionally, the duct may have a hole in it or other defect that similar permits air to leak from the duct. Regardless of the reason for the air leak, loss of conditioned air may result in the blower or conditioning equipment to remain in a powered condition for longer periods of time, lack of personnel comfort in the room to receive the conditioned air, etc., to occur. Besides the discomfort in the room to receive the conditioned air, waste of power also results.
A variety of air leak detection equipment has been developed and is commercially available. Such equipment often is lacking is being portable and easily transported from job site to job site, lacks flexibility in hooking of to different size air ducts, lacks sufficient capacity to check different size air ducts, and the like. It is to such perceived need in the marketplace that the present disclosure is addressed.